ince its founding in 2003, First Lutheran Church's ensemble-in-residence Exsultemus has breathed new life into seldom-heard works of early music, boasting a "strong, focused sound not unlike The Tallis Scholars" (Goldberg Magazine). Our 2009-2010 season continues to uncover and present uncommon yet remarkable works of music, brought to life by some of Boston's most talented singers and instrumentalists. Highlights include the remarkable Italianate songs of Christoph Bernhard, polyphony by the “lost generation” of composers between Josquin and Palestrina, exceptional Christmas cantatas by Briegel and Graupner, seldom-performed settings of the Lamentations of Jeremiah, J. S. Bach’s “test piece” for his illustrious post at the Thomaskirche in Leipzig, Schütz’s moving Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross with a consort of violas da gamba, an intimate performance of Pergolesi’s stunning Stabat Mater, and the extraordinary “musical salads” of Catalonian composer Mateo Flecha.
Tickets for all concerts are $15, $25, and $35 each, reserved seating, with a $5 discount for students and seniors, and are available by calling 857-998-0219 or online at www.exsultemus.org/tickets.html. Visit our website at www.exsultemus.org for full details.
HAMBURG: Bernhard, Weckmann & Telemann
September 27 at 5:30pm at First Lutheran Church of Boston
One of the most important musical centers in Germany, Hamburg was home to some of the most influential composers of the Baroque era. Join us for a sampling of the remarkable Italianate songs of Christoph Bernhard, an extraordinary cantata by Matthias Weckmann, and two of Georg Philipp Telemann's cycle of church cantatas, composed for Hamburg's Johanneum in the style of those Bach composed for the Thomaskirche in Leipzig.
Josquin and his Legacy
Sunday, November 1 at 3pm at First Lutheran Church of Boston; additional performances in Newton and Cambridge
Music of the Renaissance is often exemplified by the styles of two musical giants—Josquin des Prez at one end and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina at the other—with little attention paid to the composers who comprised the “lost generation” that came between them. Exsultemus pays homage to Josquin des Prez and composers who bridged the gap between the styles of these two masters in a program of music for low voices, including works by Gombert, Clemens non Papa, Richafort, de Monte, de Silva, and Gombert's moving lament on the death of Josquin, Musae Jovis.
DARMSTADT: Briegel & Graupner
December 6 at 5:30pm at First Lutheran Church of Boston
The court at Hesse-Darmstadt in Germany boasted an active musical life, as evidenced by the extensive catalogues of chapel masters Christoph Graupner, who was the preferred choice over Bach for the position at the Thomaskirche in Leipzig, and Wolfgang Carl Briegel, Graupner's predecessor in Darmstadt. Exsultemus presents a selection of rarely-performed Christmas cantatas by these talented composers.
Lamentations
Sunday, January 17 at 3pm at First Lutheran Church of Boston; additional performances in Andover, Newton, and Cambridge
The Lamentations of Jeremiah appear in the old Catholic liturgy only once a year—during Holy Week—but the vivid imagery of the texts became a favorite source of inspiration to Renaissance composers. Settings of the Lamentations became as popular as Masses, Magnificats, and Requiems, with the most famous examples by Tallis and Victoria . Exsultemus rekindles the inspirational spark of this music with lesser-known Lamentations settings by Brumel, Burmudez, White, Ferrabosco, and Palestrina, plus La Rue’s interpretation of the Lamentation of David over Saul and Jonathan, and Andrea Gabrieli's déploration for Willaert.
LEIPZIG : Schelle, Kuhnau & J. S. Bach
February 21 at 5:30pm at First Lutheran Church of Boston
Johann Sebastian Bach, perhaps the most famous Baroque composer today, was only one of many distinguished musicians to hold the illustrious post of Cantor for the major churches of Leipzig. Join us for an exploration of works by Bach's predecessors Johann Schelle and Johann Kuhnau, plus a performance of Bach's test piece for the position, Jesus nahm zu sich die Zwölfe (BWV 22).
DRESDEN: Schütz, Heinichen & Zelenka
March 14 at 5:30pm at First Lutheran Church of Boston
The music of 17th-century Dresden is perhaps best epitomized by the works of Heinrich Schütz, doubtless the most well-known composer to work for that court. Schütz's music was heavily influenced by his journeys to Italy, as well as by his devotion to his own vernacular. Acclaimed vocal ensemble Exsultemus presents a special Lenten program from Dresden, including Schuüz's Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross, plus Heinichen's Nisi Dominus for soprano and oboe and responsories by the Bohemian composer Jan Dismas Zelenka.
PERGOLESI: Stabat Mater plus works by Carissimi and Sances
April 18 at 5:30pm at First Lutheran Church of Boston
There are few works more profound than Giovanni Battista Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, which was published more than any other piece of music in the eighteenth century. Written just months before his untimely death at the age of 26, Pergolesi's monumental composition for soprano, alto, strings, and keyboard vividly depicts the anguish of the Virgin Mary witnessing the death of Jesus on the cross. Acclaimed Boston vocal ensemble Exsultemus pairs an intimate performance of this work with music by Giovanni Felice Sances, Giacomo Carissimi, and Arcangelo Corelli.
Las Ensaladas of Mateo Flecha
Sunday, May 16 at 3pm at First Lutheran Church of Boston; additional performances in Newton and Cambridge
The “musical salads” of Catalonian composer Mateo Flecha are the subject of Exsultemus’ newest program celebrating music of the Iberian Peninsula . This fascinating collection of pieces for four and five voices mixes humor, Biblical verse, and dance rhythms to create rousing miniature masterpieces that were among the most popular music of 16th-century Spain . Be sure to mark your calendar for this thrilling program for voices and percussion with guest artist Tom Zajac.